Electrical transportation system.



B. WELLER, S. T. HYDE & P. D. NAUGL'E.

ELECTRICAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM,

APPLICATION FILED-APR. H, 1914.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

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R.'C. WELLER, S. T. HYDE & P. D. NAUGLE.

ELECTRICAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11, I914.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

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ELECTRICAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

QPPLICATION FILED APR-11,1914.

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ROBERT C. WELLER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, AND STANLEY 'l. HYDE AND PHILIP D. NAUGLE, OF BREMER'I'ON, WASHINGTON.

ELECTRICAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

Original application filed November 4, 1912, Serial No. 729,189.

Specification of Letters Patent.

1914. Serial No. 831,278.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT C. TWELLER, STANLEY T. HYDE, and PHiLIP D. NAUGLE, citizens of the United States, the first residing at Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, and the other two residing at Bremerton. county of Kitsap, State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Transportation Systems, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to transportation systems and has particular reference to a novel method of and apparatus for transporting freight at receiving, transferring and consigning points.

This invention was first disclosed in our co-pending application Serial No. 729.189, filed November 4:. 1912 the subject matter hereof being a division of matter originally disclosed in said application.

The invention is specifically adapted for use in freight depots wherein the freieht is received from the consignor and is transferred to cars for shipment. This conveying at the present time is usually accomplished by the use of trucks manually operated or in. some instances propelled by a suitable source of power the control of which is effected by an attendant.

The s ecific obiects of our invention are to provide an electric transportation system for use in freight depots by means of which trucks may be loaded at one point. then despatched without an attendant. such trucks mo ing to any one of a plurality of distant points. there entering upon a siding and stopping in proper position all without the aid of an attendant. Such a system must necessarily include means for star-tine: the car into motion. and means on the car for selectino the destination of the car. means in the. electric s stem for obviating the possibilit of collisions and means at the designated point for disconnecting" the motive power and brin ing the car to a stop. The attendant advantages of such a s stem are many among which may be mentioned the saving in cost of handling freight. this sav ing" appearing both in the amount of manual labor required and the celerity with which such freight may be handled.

The invention will be more readily under stood by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein,

Figure 1 is a diagram showing the wirinc; and apparatus necessary for the operation. of two sidings and an adjacent main track; Fig. ,2 is an end elevation of a truck which may be employed in our system. showing particularly the manually operable selectors by means of which the control of the truck is effected; Fig. 3 is a. side elevation of the truck showing in detail the manually operable selectors and the sunken contact piece with which the selectors cooperate. and, Fig. 1- is a' wiring; diagram for the truck.

Our invention is intended for application to car freight houses, a series of tracks be in)? brovided leading; from the various receiving doors to the cars. 7

A transfer car such as contemplated by us may be of any well known form, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in. which a motor delivers power to the axles to cause the travel thereof. To the frame of this truck are secured brackets 21. supporting manually operable selectors 22. these selectors being: held either in inoperative position as in full line in Fig. 3. or in operative position as in dotted lines in the same fio'ure. While we have shown the truck as equipped with nine selectors, this number may be varied to suit different reouirements with the understanding that three selectors must be actuated inorder to complete any switching opera tion. It will be seen that by providing nine selectors the number of switches which may be controlled by the same truck is exceedinu'ly large. Furthermore. the up er portion 24. of the frame may be provided with rollers 25. on which may be carried a table or top 26, such top being held an'ainst movement by the manuall operable catch 27. Also provided on the frame of the machine are brackets 28. 29. which carry the sliding contacts 30. 31. which contacts cooperate with the double third rail. One of the rails supplies current for the operation of the truck motor and the other rail controls or supplies current for the automatic locking or control system. The currents may be grounded through the truck frame and rails or a' separate ground may be provided as a part of the third rail.

The electric equipment of the truck is indicated in the diagram Fig. 4. In this view 1 32, 33 indicate the connecting wires, 34, the

master switch, 35, a brake switch, 36, 37,

' a series of contact'ors, 38, 39,'a".shunt con- The master switch 34, is then closed. The

current passes through the contact shoe from the third rail, through the positive wire to the solenoid'38, switch 35, and switch 34, to the ground. Solenoid 38, closes the contact 39, which closes the motor circuit, thereby 7 allowing current to pass through a series solenoid 36, resister 40, through the motor armature 42,1 and series field 44. Also from V I contact 39, through the brake solenoid 41,

and the shunt field The contactor 36, 37, is especially constructed so that when the 7 current drops to a certain predetermined amount,-the contactor closes, short circuiting the resister 40, and throwing the full current 7 applied tothe tracks.

on the motor. This comprises" a current limit alternating starter. In the case of a single phase commutator type induction motor being used, the contactor 36, 37, and the resister 40, are not used. Switches 34, 35, are kept in their closed normal position at all times as the entire control of the truck is carried out through the blocking system as However, in case it is desired to hold a truck on a live track it is then necessary to open the switch 34. Hence to move a truck a few'feet the switch 35 is thrown thereby releasing the brake without throwing the current on the motor.

To run two or more trucks ina train the trucks are coupled mechanically and the electric connections made through wires 32, 33.

.When thus connected the whole train may be controlled as one unit by means of the operating switch 34, on any one of the tracks, one of the wires controlling the motor of the truck and the other connecting with the blocking system.

Referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen'that the mechanical connection between the truck, and the control system is effected by the selectors 22, these selectors acting upon a curved lever 45, normally held in raised position by a spring 46, and having a short arm 47, operating a push rod 48, which rod makes an electrical connection through the contact 49. Making this contact energizes a magnet 50, which holds the lever 45, in lowered position 7 after a car haspassed thereover. It will be seen that each switch will have three contacts such as just described, these, however,

being located in different positions transversely from that of any other switch and that therefore a truck having three of the selectors 22, in depressed position will have no effect on any switch except that one with its switch members in such position as to be contacted thereby.

The main control system for the switches and main track is illustrated in Fig. 1, in which 51, is the main track, 52, and 53, sidings and 54, 55, are track switches to sidings 52, 53. Current is supplied to the cars through two rails or trolleys. In our case we will indicate rails known as third and fourth rails. Power is taken to the motor of the car from the third rail through an insulated collector shoe secured to the car frame, to the motor, thence through the car frame of the car to the ground. The fourth rail is grounded through the car frame by means of another collector shoe which is secured directly to the car frame. The grounding of the fourth rail causes certain interlocking relays to act thereby operating the blocking and automatic control features of this system.

Sections se 59 ec 61 ca 63 and 64 65 66 67*, 86 and 87 are divisions of the third and fourth rails known as blocking sections and are divided in such a manner as to meet the needs of the service. In these we have marked the third rail as Z) and the fourth rail as a.

Power to each third rail is supplied from feeder wires through the main contacts of a contactor or solenoid switch, while the fourth or control rail is connected to the feeder wires through the magnet coils of one or more relays. These relays have interlocking contacts that operate and control the magnets of the solenoid switches supplying power to the third rails.

In the drawing, Fig. 1, 77, 88, 90, 80, 83, are magnets of the solenoid switches (contactors) 78,89, 91, 93, 84, are the main contacts of these switches; 92 is an interlocking contact of switch 90; 74, 94, 95, 100, 82, are magnets of the controlling relays; 76, 73, 96, 97; 98, 99.; 79; 101, 85, are interlocking contacts of their respective relays. 68, 69, are the contacts of the starting switch for this section and 81, is the releasing magnet for this switch. Contacts 78, 89, 91, 93, 84, 56 68, 7e, 9e, 98, 101, 104, 105, are normally open; contacts 92, 73, 75, 97, 99, 79, 85, 106, are normally closed. The third or the power rail is normally dead and is never alive unless a car is on that block grounding the fourth rail. In all the following descriptions these facts are kept in view.

Operation of the system is as follows: In the following description a theoretical case is taken in which nothing happens except said sidings having a switch therefor, electrical means for controlling the operation of what will happen in the ordinary course of the days work and is given to show the automatic features of the system. A car comes along track 51 to block 58, from the preceding section. Its track switch selector pins are set so as to operate the switches 70, 71, 72, thereby connecting the current to solenoid 56, opening track switch 54, so that car can go over switch 54: to siding 52. hen the car comes on block 58, the grounded collector shoe of the car makes a contact with the fourth rail 58, which will cause relay 9 1 to pull up making contact 96, and breaking contact 97. When 97 is broken it opens the solenoid of the power circuit of the preceding block, as will be explained in connection with relays 103, 105, 106 of section two. When 96 is closed it completes the circuit from positive line through contact 99 to solenoid 88 and ground. Solenoid 88 then pulls up closing contact 89, connecting power from positive feeder to the third rail and. thence to the motor of the car. This causes the car to travel ahead and since track switch 54: is open (as noted above) the car will take to the siding 52, traveling over block 60 to 61. Since the rails 60 and 60 are directly connected to rails 58 and 58 no further relay action will take place until the car reaches block 61. When moving the car makes contact with rails 61 and 61', before breaking contact with rails 60 and 60 This is to make the operation of the car continuous with no breaks between blocks. As soon as the car breaks contact with rails 60 and 60 the current to relay 9-1 is broken allowing the armature to drop, opening contacts 96, which opens solenoid 88, and openings 89, thereby cutting 06 the power from the third rails 58 and 60, making these sections ready for the coming of another car. The car on reaching block 61, grounds fourth rail 61, closing the circuit from positive line through relay 741-, raising its armature, closing contacts 76 and breaking contacts 73 and 75. With 76 closed current is supplied from positive line through contacts 79, 76, and solenoid 77, to ground. This closes solenoid 77 and contacts 78, which latter connects power from the positive feeder to the third rail 61 thence to the motor of the car, causing the latter to keep traveling forward. When contact 73 opens, the circuit of solenoid 56 and magnets 7 O, 71 and 72 is broken, releasing the latter and causing track switch 51 to close. This will prevent another car coming onto the siding while block 61 is occupied. The action of solenoid 56 opens contact 56. The function of contacts 56 and will be described later. The car now passes to block 62. When the car leaves block 61, the control circuit through fourth rail 61 is broken thereby allowing relay 74: to operate, opening contacts 76, which latter break the circuit to solenoid 77, and causing contacts 78 to open, breaking power to third rail 61. Also contacts 73, 75, are closed thereby arranging the circuits of solenoid 56, so that the latter may be operated by the next car approaching block 58, when the selector pins of the car are properly set to close magnets 70, 71, 72.

hen the car passes to block 62 it grounds the fourth rail 62, closing the circuit to relay 100, thereby opening contacts 79. This holds open the circuit to solenoid 7 7 ,through contacts 76, thereby preventing solenoid 77 from closing and connecting power to third rail 61". This will effectually block block 61. Block 62 is normally blocked and has to be released manually. This block is a loading section and when the car is loaded or unloaded as the case may be, the operator will close contacts 68, which are held closed by the latch 69. Closing contacts 68, completes the circuit of solenoid 80 from ground through contacts 92, wire 107, and contacts 106 to positive line. This will close solenoid 80 and contacts 93, thereby putting power on third rail 62. and causing car to start up and more to block 63.

Upon the car leaving block 62, and going to block 63, the fourth rail 63 is grounded, closing relay 82. in series with relay 100, to positive line. Also relay 81 is closed to positive line, operating this relay to trip the latch 69, thereby allowing contacts to open, which latter opens solenoid 80, and contacts 93. This action disconnects the power from third rail 62". Relay 100, remaining in circuit, keeping contacts 79 open, keeps open the circuit of solenoid 77, thereby still blocking block 61, until the car passes off of block 63, onto the main line. With relay 82 closed, contacts 101 are closed and are opened. Closing 101, closes the circuit from positive line through contacts 106, wire 107", contacts 92 and 101, solenoid 83 to ground; this closes contacts 84, connecting power from positive line to third rail 63*. This causes the car to travel forward toward the main line 51, and block 86. When relay 82 is raised and contacts 85 are opened, the circuit of solenoid from wire 107", is held open so as to keep the power from being connected to third rail 59 from positive line through contacts 91. This effectually blocks 59, preventing any car from traveling on 59 far enough to interfere with the car 011 the curve 63. The car now moves on to the block 86, on the main line 51. Relays 100, and 82, will drop, opening contacts 101, and closing contacts 79 and 85. Opening contacts 101, opens the solenoid 83 and contacts 84, thereby disconnecting the power from third rail 63*. Closing contacts 79, removes the block from 61, by closing circuit of solenoid 77, up to relay contacts 76. Closing contacts 85 removes the block from 59 only so far as 63 is concerned. It will be noted in the next paragraph how 59 is blocked by the car now on 86.

With the car on block 86, the fourth rail 86 is grounded which closes the circuit of relay 103, to positive line. Relay 103 then pulls up, closing contacts 105 and opening contacts 106. This relay 103, 105, 106, is the same as relay 94, 96, 97 of section one, and the description is given here so as to show the detailed operation of its interlocking with the preceding section. Closing contacts 105 closes solenoid 102 and contacts 1042, thereby connecting power to third rail 86*, and causing the car to move on to the next block. But while the car is on 86, the contacts 106 are held open, thereby breaking circuit from positive wire through contacts 106, wire 107, contacts 85, 98, and solenoid 90, and holding open contacts 91. This' keeps power disconnected from third rail 59. Also the circuit is open from wire 107 through contacts 92, and 101, to solenoid 83 to ground. This holds open contacts 84:, thereby keeping the power off third rail 63 also from wire 107*, through contacts 92, solenoid 80, and contacts 68 to ground. This holds open contacts 93, which keeps power from being connected to the third rail 62 Therefore it is readily seen that with a car on block 86, holding up relay 103, there can be no car moving from any of the three blocks 59, 62, or 63. It is not general practice for a car to come from one siding and go directly to the next, although the same can be readily done, so it will be considered that this car goes on to block 87, and so on around the line.

Going back now to the point where the car came on to block 58, the case will be considered where the car does not leave its selector pins set in the proper combination to operate the magnets 70, 71, 72, and track switch 54,.thereby going ahead on the main line to block 59. On the cars leaving block 58, relay 94, and solenoid 88, operate the same as when the car left block 60, as heretofore described.

With the car on 59, fourth rail 59 is grounded which will close the circuit of relay 95, which latter will pull up closing contacts 98, and opening contacts 99. Closing contacts 98 completes the circuit of solenoid 90, from positive line through contacts 106, wire 107, contacts 85 and 98, and solenoid 90 to ground. This latter solenoid now pulls up closing contacts 91, thereby connecting powerfrom positive line to third rail 59*, and also opening contacts 92, which breaks the circuit of solenoids 80 and 83, supplying power to third rails 62 and 63 respectively. Opening contacts 99 breaks the circuit, except under certain circumstances referred to in the next paragraph, of solenoid 88, which latter connects power to third rail 58*. The interlocking contacts 92 are placed on the solenoid 90, so as to block 62 and 63 only in case a car is moving forward on 59. Also interlocking contacts 99 on relay 95, will block 58 only in case a car comes on to block 58, without taking the siding 52. When the car on 59 advances to block 86, block 58 is restored to normal condition by the release of relay 95, closing contacts 99 and blocks 62, and 63 are not restored to normal condition on account of the action of relay 103, as heretofore described. However, blocks 62 and 63 are cleared in so far as 59 is concerned.

All the argument so far has been with one car only on the track. The conditions now to be considered are with two or more cars on a section. The only conditions that will add to the description already given will be with a car on 59, and held there while another car comes on 58 to take the siding 52. If the car on 58 is despatched to go straight ahead it will be held on 58 so long as the car remains on 59. This is by virtue of the relay contacts 99 being kept open by the car on 59, as heretofore described. However, if the car coming on 58, has its selector pins set to trip the magnets 70, 71, 72, it will operate solenoid 56 to open track switch 54, (as already noted) and make contacts 56. These latter contacts close the circuit from positive line through magnets 70, 71, 72, contacts 65, 75, solenoid 88 to ground, which closes contacts 89, thereby connecting power to third rail 58. The car will then go on siding 52, to block '62, where it will be held until started (as noted). If still another car comes on 58 to take the siding 52 while a car is still on 59, the car on 58 will do exactly the same as the one now on 62, except the car on 58 will go only as far as 61 where it will be held in block by car on 62. If, while the three cars are held on 58, 61 and 62, another car comes on to 58 for the siding 52 it will be held in block by the cars on both blocks 59 and 61 by virtue of the open relay contacts 99, and 73, 7 5, respectively.

We claim:

1. In a transportation system, a main track, and a plurality of sidings, each of said sidings having a switch therefor, a car adapted to move on said track and sidings, and selector mechanism carried by said car, said mechanism being manually operable at the car despatching point to mechanically close a circuit and thereby actuate a distant siding switch on the approach of said car to said switch, the intervening switches being unaffected by the passage of said car, substantially as described.

2. In a transportation system, a main track, and a plurality of sidings, each of each of said switches, a car adapted to move on said track and said sidings, means for propelling said car, and a plurality of manually and separately movable detents carried by said car, said mechanism being manually operable at the car despatching point and adapted to control the electrical circuit at any one of said switches on the approach of the car to said switch, substantially as described.

3. In a transportation system a main track, and a plurality of sidings, a car hav ing an electric motor for moving the same, means on said car for controlling the application of a propelling force, means including a plurality of independently actuable detents for actuating the entrance switches to the various sidings, said switch controlling means being operable by the mechanical closing of electric contacts by the car prior to the arrival of the car at a siding switch, substantially as described.

ROBERT C. WELLER. STANLEY T. HYDE. PHILIP D. NAUGLE. Witnesses for R. C. Weller:

R. M. JoNEs, B. 0. BRENNAN. Witnesses for S. T. Hyde and P. D. Naugle:

RALPH O. HALL, ANDREW FULLER.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

